


work, work, work

by snowest (klaineanummel)



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 09:29:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10085816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klaineanummel/pseuds/snowest
Summary: Erin loves watching Abby work





	

**Author's Note:**

> for the lovely [ kirst ](http://kirst003.tumblr.com/); happy belated birthday/thank you for helping me with my essay. you're an absolute angel and i adore you.

Watching Abby work has always been one of Erin’s favorite pass-times.

There are three different ways that Abby works, and all three evoke different emotional responses within Erin.

The first is the lazy work. It’s work that Abby _has_ to do, but is not particularly inspired to do. It’s flipping through unread pages, eyes glazed over, cheek pushed up by the hand propping up her face. It’s typing words into an empty word document, only to delete them seconds later. It’s scrolling through the official Ghostbusters email account far too quickly to be taking anything in. It’s sighs, and constantly checking her phone even if she isn’t expecting any messages.

Erin can rarely stand to watch Abby lazily work for long. It’s exhausting, watching Abby slug through something she clearly isn’t passionate about. She can see the way Abby’s eyelids start to droop, the way she nibbles at the skin around her fingernails. It sucks, because Abby is one of the hardest workers she knows – seeing her just slugging through is difficult.

Usually, when she sees Abby start to slip, she’ll call her over and try and get her interested in whatever equation she’s working on. Just getting her away from whatever dreary work she’s doing, even for a few moments, is enough to bring back that spark to Abby’s eye.

The second is the casual work. It’s work Abby wants to do, but isn’t on a deadline for. It’s casual research, passion projects, things she’s doing in between what she calls her “actual work”.

Abby always has a pencil in hand when she does this kind of work. If she doesn’t have a notepad, she writes on napkins, or Holtzmann’s discarded weapon designs. She has a folder, too, where she stuffs all her paper when she’s ready to move on. Casual work is neat and tidy, not something that lies around, even if it isn’t finished. Abby will pull it out when she has time, scribble down a few notes, look up a few websites on her phone, and then tuck it back away.

Erin could watch Abby write her notes for hours. Her hair always gets in her face when she handwrites, and Abby tends to just blow it up and out of the way, giving her about five seconds of hair-free vision before it falls back into place. Erin’s seen her do this dozens of times, and it’s always fun watching, wondering when she’ll just give in, put her pencil down, and tuck the loose hair back behind her ears.

Once, Erin pulled a bobby pin out of her own hair and quietly pushed Abby’s hair aside, pinning it back in silence. Abby didn’t look up from her work, but Erin saw the soft smile that had taken over her face. She leaned down and kissed Abby’s newly revealed forehead, causing Abby to turn a light pink, and then put her pencil down and lean up for a real kiss.

The final type of work is what Abby likes to call “actual work”. It’s the work she has to do and wants to do. Her desk piles up with books, folders, and loose pieces of paper, with her laptop always precariously balanced on something it shouldn’t be.

Abby runs around a lot when she’s doing this kind of work. She mumbles under her breath as she hurries to Patty’s work area, looking through the ridiculous amount of books that Patty keeps by her desk. She keeps muttering as she flies up the stairs to visit Holtzmann, coming down moments later with a gizmo that she’s already fiddling with. She comes over to Erin’s desk and asks her for five completely unrelated equations, and is completely unaware of the way that Erin stares at her as she hands them over.

“Actual work” brings bags under eyes, stains on clothes, and coffee cups surrounding the mountain of information that Abby’s desk becomes. It usually involves Kevin calling in Abby’s Chinese food order, and paying for it himself, even though Abby has told him dozens of time’s he doesn’t have to. It’s late nights, with Erin, Patty, and Holtzmann watching as Abby types furiously on her computer, all the lights off except the one sitting on top of four books on her desk.

Abby gets lost in this work, and while it’s breathtaking to see her so passionate and dedicated, it also worries Erin. She’ll watch her flit around the firehouse for a day or two, absolutely fascinated by how intense Abby is about what she loves, before she puts her foot down.

She always starts small. She’ll bring Abby a cup of decaffeinated tea instead of her usual coffee. Then, a small salad bowl or a sandwich, anything she can make in the firehouse’s little kitchen to give Abby a break from fast food. Then, it’s a blanket, which she wraps around Abby’s shoulders, hugging her tight as she does and pressing a kiss to the back of her head. Finally, it’s dragging her away from her desk for ten to fifteen minute intervals and forcing her to cuddle with Erin on the couch.

Abby usually runs out of steam around day three or four, and that’s finally when Erin can convince her to come home and get a full night’s sleep.

She whispers equations and theories as she sleeps, but she still sleeps.

Regardless of what kind of work she’s doing, Abby pulls all of Erin’s focus. Even when she’s bored out of her mind, Erin can’t help but watch with a smile. Glazed over eyes can become raised eyebrows or constant movement in the blink of an eye, and vice-versa. It’s incredible, watching the woman Erin loves do what she loves most.

Plus, there’s always that short moment. That moment when, regardless of what kind of work she’s doing, Abby will look up and her eyes will meet Erin’s. She’ll smile, and usually blow her a kiss. If she’s doing lazy work, she’ll wave her over. If she’s doing “actual work”, she’ll wink before getting back to it.

She loves everything about the way Abby works, but those moments? Those are her favorite.

**Author's Note:**

> [ also on tumblr ](http://bisexualpattytolan.tumblr.com/post/158005614221/work-work-work-yatesbert)


End file.
